Heel seat fitting machines



Jan. 22, 1957 Filed Feb. 7, 1955 A. P. CHARRON HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINES 4 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 In men to HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 7, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 782 1 5 Y 178 Amo n z'o' P C/z'arron Jan.'22, 1957 A. P. CHARRON 2,778,041

HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 7, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet s Jan. 22, 1957 A. P. CHARRON 2,778,041

HEEL SEAT FITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 7, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [nventon Anion/'0 P Charron By/11 AI 6y Ufli Sums ice Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 7, 1955, Serial No; 486,474 14 Claims. (Cl. 1231.5)

I This invention relates to heel seat fitting machines vfor preparing the attached outsoles of shoes, for the reception ofwood heels and is directed to animprovement ofa heel seat fitting machine of the type disclosedinl'applkation Serial No. 485,844, filed February 3, 1955, in the names of Ferman N. Lee and Harold G. Shaw.

In the use of the heel seat fitting machinewhich' is disclosed in said application Serial No. 485,844 and is an improvement on the machine disclosed in Unite'c'l'st'ates Letters Patent No. 1,980,371, granted November 13,1934 on an application filed in the name of Earl A.' Bessoin, there is a tendency for the forward median part of the heel seatportion of an attached outsole of a. hoe being operated upon to be bulged too far through an opening in a horizontal crease plate and below, a bottom crease plate face which borders said opening and along' whitch a tab forming knife slides. Consequently, forward portions of lateral bevels of a heel seat tab formed uphn the attached outsole of the shoe by the use of said machine sometimes diverge rather than converge'as they approach a heel breast line of the outsole and tend to hold the forward part of the heel, which is to be attached to the shoe, from being moved to its proper position for attachment. I p

Inorder to insure that the forward portions of the lateral bevels of the heel seat tabs shall converge asthey approach the heel breast line of the outsole irrespective of the thickness or temper of the outsole, I have provided an improved crease plate and bulger which is hereinafter described and may be efiectively used in the machine disclosed in said application Serial No. 485,844 or in various other heel seat fitting machines in which the heel seat portion of the outsole is deformed at the time it is trimmed for the reception of a heel. I

The present invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration, said invention being fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front view, partly broken away, of thejheel seat fitting machine disclosed in application Serial. No. 485,844 equipped with a crease plate and a bulger embodying the present invention and adapted, to prepare attached outsoles of 'shoes for the reception of'Louis'heel's;

Fig. 2 shows a portion of the illustrative machine, partly inside elevation and partly in section, on the line II"H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing in detail the crease plate and the bulger of the machine shownin Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig.4 is a perspective view similar to. Fig. 3 but showing a crease plate and a bulger which may be used in place of the. crease plate and the bulger. respectively in Fig:. 3 for fitting the heel seat portions of attached: outsoles of the. shoe for the reception of Cuban heels;

2,778,041 l atented Jan. 22, 1957 5 is a vertical median section through the crease plate and the bulger of the machine on the line V-V of Fig.8 and shows the heelseat portionof the outsole of the shoe, which is to receive a Louis heel, deformed preparatory to forming on the outsole [a heel seat tab. by the use'pf a knife which travels along a bottom face of the crease plate; p v

Fig. 6 is aviewon the line\VI.-VIof,Fig. 5; V

Fig; :7 is a view on the line VI I-V II of ,Fig, 5 showing thioutsjole of' th'e shoe after it has been fitted and before the shoe has been removed from the machine;

Fig.8 is a viewon the line YIII VIII of Fig, 6; p

Figs. 9 and 9? are illustrativeviews showing'respectivelyin plan halves of Louis and Cuban crease plates in the positions they occupy in the machine and also 7 showing mechanism which supports'and guides shoulder forniing knives of the machine set to accommodate respectively Louis and Cuban work; I p 5 ,Figs, wand 11 are views showing in perspective the rear endsof shoes the heel seats of whichhave been fitted respectively for the reception of Louis and Cuban heels by the use of the illustrative machine.

The illustrative machine is describedwith reference to fitting the heel seat om (m ze of attachedoutsoleszz of shoes '24 for the receptionof Louis heels2 6 (Figalfi) or CubanheelsLZfi (Fig. 1 1), ,and comprises Louis or Cuban crease plates 30, 30% which may be used interchangeably in the machineandlup'on which the heel seat portions ofoutsoles are positioned, Louis of Cuban bulgers 32,32 which may beu'sed interchangeably in the machinewith associated Louis or Cuban crease plates and are adapted to force the heel seat portions of outsoles-upon the crease plates through openings 34,34 in saidplates and below planar or flat'surfaces "36, '36E,, of theplates, Louis or Cuban back knives 38 38? which are interchangeably used in the machine with associated Louis or Cuban crease plates and bulger- 's and areniovable forward 'along" the planarfaces of the creasfe p lates to form heel seat tabs 40, 40 'onthehee'l seat enises" of the outsoles, and knives 4-2Jwhichare moped inwararrom opposite sides of the outsoles alon'giheel breast lines 454, 44 thereof to form heel breast receivihglshoulder's 46, 46 on the outsoles at the-forward ends of said heel seat tabs."

Themachine, eacept' for the crease} plateseu, Stlfiarid tn'ebut e'rs sz; 32 is identical with the niachine'disc'lose c'l in the above mentioned: application Serial NfO 485,844 which maybe referred tofor a detail ed des ription of the machihe and its operation and whichis an im'provement on" the machine disclosed in said United States" Ftcht Noi 1,980,371. The machine; as illustrated isequlppd with the Louis crease plate 30, the Louisbulger iazjfand the 'Louis back knife 38. Three different Louis and Cuban crease pl'ja t esiltl, 30 which have openings 34, 349 ,of dilfe'rent sizes, and threegdifferent Louis and Cuban bulger-s 282, 32? adapted for use withassociated crease plates, are used interchangeably infthem'achine tomor modate runs of sizes "of shoes f orthe" reception of Louis andCiibanheels-Zfi, 2.6 w p Any one of the crease'plates 30f, 3'0 may he readily inserted' in and"removedfrom guideways48 (Figs, 1, 2 and 8)" formed in a mainframe 501 o'ftlie"nta'chirregthe particular crease plate selected for use in the machine ibe ing retained inthe guideways' by a pin 52 fits s'lidinglyin alined bores 54, 56 formed in the m1 "fr me and the crease plate respectively. The backj kni 38, 38 which are used to equip the machine'for opefat ig upon- Louijs andCuban work respectively have; straight 0 andlincurved cutting edges 58,.58. Thelshouldei form- Louis work being so mounted that straight vertically arranged cutting edges 60 (Figs. 1 and 2) thereof move along front or breast edges 62 of the crease plate 30 in a vertical plane including a horizontal line 64 (Figs. 6, '7, and 9) which may be referred to as a fixed Louis heel breast line of the machine. The cutting edges 60 of the knives 42, adjusted for operation upon Cuban work, are mounted for movement in horizontal paths 66 (Fig. 9*).which extend along the front or breast edges 62 of the Cuban crease plate 30 positioned in the machine and which are generally tangent to adjacent portions of a fixed Cuban heel breast line 70 of the machine which line lies in a horizontal plane and has a radius equal to the radius of transverse curvature of the forward edge of the attaching face of the Cuban heel 26. When any one of the Louis crease plates 30 is secured in its operating position in the machine its breast edges 62 lie approirimately in the heel breast line 64 which is disposed at right angles to a vertical median plane 72 of the crease plate and also to a vertical median plane 74 of the outsole 22 of the shoe 24 positioned in the machine, which median plane '74 is substantially coincident with the median plane 72. When one of the Cuban crease plates 30 is secured in its operating position in the machine its breast edges 62 are disposed obliquely to a vertical median plane 72 of the crease plate.

The back or tab forming knife 38 is secured to a knife holder 76 screwed to a laterally projecting flange 78 of a slide 80 which is power reciprocated in a constant path along a guideway 82 formed in the main frame 50 in response to the engagement of a one-revolution clutch (not shown) actuated by a treadle (not shown).

The bulgers 32, 32 have formed in them bores 84, 84

for receiving a stud portion 86 of a carrier rod 88 vertically reciprocated in a sleeve 90 which is slidable along a bore 92 of the main frame 50. Mounted on the carrier rod 88 is a cylindrical housing 94 including a spring 96 which has its upper and lower ends bearing against the housing and the top of the sleeve 90. Threaded onto the carrier rod 88 is a nut 98 which limits upward movement of the housing 94 upon the carrier rod. The sleeve 90 floats upon the carrier rod 88 and in the prior machine, disclosed in detail in said Patent No. 1,980,371, has mounted on it a holddown clamp which is not used in the present machine. Downward movement of the carrier rod 88 and accordingly downward movement of the bulger 32 is limited by the engagement of the housing 94 with a shoulder 100 of the main frame 50, the machine being initially adjusted so that the bulger may be lowered to a position in which its lower end is arranged just above the planar face 36 of the crease plate 30. Each of the bulgers 32, 32 is held upon the stud portion 86 of the carrier rod 88 by a springpressed plunger 102 and is prevented from turning on said stud portion by inter-engaging shoulders.

The operator presents the shoe bottom up and heel end foremost to the machine causing the rand crease of the shoe to be occupied by portions of one of the crease plates 30, 30 positioned in the machine, the heel seat portion 20 of the attached outsole 22 of the shoe assuming a position over dished outsole supporting faces 103, 103 of the crease plates. As the shoe 24 is moved rearward to its operating position by the operator it is first located widthwise by a V-shaped gage 104 which is engaged by the lateral margins of the rear end of the shoe and which slides rearward toward a back gage 106 under pressure of the shoe. After the rear end of the shoe 24 engages the back gage 106 the gage 104 is moved rearward together with the back gage under pressure until a block 108, which forms part of a unit operatively connected to the back gage, engages a spiral cam initially set in accordance with the length of the attaching face of the heel which is to be received by the 4. 114 to knife carriers 116 slidable along T-shaped rectilinear guideways 118 (Figs. 2, 9, and 9*) which are formed in guide blocks 120 pivotally mounted on bosses 122 formed on a plate 124 secured to the main frame 50. Formed at the upper ends of the knife carriers 116 are racks 126 meshing with gear segments on levers 128 mounted on shoulder screws 130 threaded into the guide blocks 120. The plate 124 may be considered part of the main frame 50. The bell crank levers 128 are operatively connected by mechanism comprising rods 132, a slide 134, a lever 136, a multipart rod 138 and a universal coupling 140 to a longitudinal lever 142 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is pivotally mounted upon a bearing pin 144 secured to the main frame 50. The shoulder forming knives 42 are constantly urged toward retracted or open positions by the above described mechanism which is biased by a spring 146 (Fig. l), movement of the knives away from the vertical median plane 72 of the crease plate 30 being limited by the engagement of a stop screw 148 mounted upon the lever 142 with an adjustable stop bar 150. The knife carriers 116 are moved equal distances toward each other along the T shaped guideways 118 in response to rearward movement of the knife slide 80 which carries a cam roll 152 adapted to depress, during movement of the slide 80 to its retracted position shown in Fig. 2, a cam (not shown) mounted upon the lever 142 whereby to effect inward movement of the carriers 116 and accordingly movement of the shoulder forming knives 42 toward one another to form the heel breast receiving shoulders 46, 46

In order to insure that the cutting edges 58, 58 of the tab forming knives 38, 38 shall not be deflected by the work away from the planar faces 36, 3'6 along which they slide during the tab forming operation, the crease plates 30, 30 are provided with elongated guideways 157, 157 in which the knives fit slidingly.

It is difiicult to form consistently on outsoles 22 of different thicknesses heel seat tabs 40, 40 having at their forward lateral margins fillets or wings 156, 156 which, in the finished shoes, overlie the upper breast corners of the heels 26, 26 of the shoes 24 and effectively support the rear lateral margins of the shanks of t-heoutsoles of the shoes against drooping or sagging away from the uppers of said shoes. Furthermore, as noted above, in forming heel seat tabs having fillets or wings at their forward lateral margins, there is a tendency to force the forward median parts of the heel seat portions of the outsoles too far below the planar faces 36, 36 of the crease plates 30, 30 with the resultthat instead of producing, at the forward ends of the tabs 40, 40 forward lateral bevels 158, 158 which converge, as shown in Figs. 7, 10, and 11, there is a tendency for said bevels to diverge as they extend forwardly of the shoes. Many shoes have outsoles which are reinforced along the longitudinal median portions of their shanks by steel shank stiffeners (not shown) and unless the forward ends of the bevels 158, 158 converge, as above explained, there is some likelihood that the fitted heel seat portions of the shoes will hold the front end portions of the rims of the attaching faces of the heels away from the overlasted counter portions of the shoe uppers with the result that the heels are not properly seated upon the shoes. Furthermore, when too much material is left at the forward central portion of the heel seat tab so as to leave a high spot at said forward central portion there is a tendency for the heel to be split when it is attached to the shoe.

With the foregoing considerations in view the'crease plate openings 34, 34 which extend through and to the front or breast edges 62, 62 of the Louis and Cuban crease plates 30, 30 respectively comprise relatively narrow rear U-shaped portions defined by U-shaped edges 170, and relatively wide entrant portions 172, 172 which extend across the front ends of and laterally beyond opposite sides of the U-shaped openings and terminate at the front or breast edges 62, 62*. Rear lateral margins f :the entrant vportions E72, 172910f .theopnhigsgitl, 84

extending generally lengthwise ofithetcrease plates 3:0,;30

and the openings and separating forward .ends .ofsthe U -shaped portions of the openings from theirear lateral margins of the entrant portions vof ;t;l1e.- 0peningS-- Th fingers 1716, 176 are spaced ttromand-are rrangedin-th vicinitypf the front or breastedges' fifl, 63 of the crease plates 30., 436 and may be d scri ed a t rminatin su s ant al d tances rear rd of a dr ron tqr h r ste e an as being nt p e e wee m di n-no ti a o th open ng 34, 3 n a e a r r iqn esp s v y f s d open n The ;Louis and .Cuban :bu lgers 32, 32 comprise salient median presser portions 178 179, which are elongated and :U shap d and wh ch ha e a -a d at r m r ns o side .walls 180, 130", and salient lateral ,presser portions 18251432 having inner lateral margins or side walls, 135i, 184*- which are spaced respectively from the .laterahmarginsvor side walls 180, 18 0 .of the median presser portion and form therewithlchannels 186, 186 extending'generally length wise of the bulgers. Themedian presser porftions 1723, 178 of the Louis and Cuban bulgers 32, 52 haste fiat ,U-sh'aped salient faces 1,88, 138, which extend substantially the lengths of the openings 3.4, 34%, and-the salient lateral presser portions 132, 582 have tfiatisalient faces 199, 196 which lie substantially in aiplane of said u-shaped salient faces respectively and are of triangular outline. The lateral presser portions 182, 182 of the bulgers 32, 332 have front margins extending generally along breast edges or ends 192 1 912? of the bulgers 32, 32 and have outer margins 194, 194 arranged generally parallel to opposing portions of the lateral side walls of the entrance portions 172, 172 of the openings 34, 34.. Stepped back from the flat faces .190, 19 0 of the bulgers 32, 32 and oifset laterally :ou-tward fromthe' outer nlrargins 194, 1% of the lateral presser portions 182, 132 are clamping faces 195, 195 which, during the outsole deforming operation, force the forward lateral margins of the heel seat portion of the outsole against iQrw-ardly tapered faces 197, 197 of the crease plates'3ll; 30..

Although the supporting fingers 176,176 of the crease plates 3%, 3% have been described as extending generally lengthwise of the crease plates it will be notedth'at said fingers converge slightly as they extend forward andjrnay be so defined. It will also be noted that the forward lateral margins 18%), 185 of the 'U-shaped or median presser portions 178, 178 of the 'bulgers 3 2-, 32 ;converge slightly as they approach the bre'ast'edges or ends-19 2, l92' of the bulgers and the inner lateral rnargins or walls 184, 184* of the lateral presser portions 1-82, 182* of th'e bulgers also converge substantially as they approach 'the breast edges or ends of the bulger and accordingly the channels 186, 186 formed between the lateral margins or walls of the median and the lateral presser portions of the 'bulgers, may be described as converging as'they extend forward or toward the breast edges or faces of the 'bulgers. inthe operation of the machine which will be-described as adapted to accommodate Louis work the opera-tor, after positioning the shoe 24 in the machine with theh'eel seat portion 29 of the attached outsole 22 of theshoe24 overlying the crease plate 39 positioned in the machine, depresses the above-mentioned treadle (not shown) cansing the carrier rod 88 to be manually depressed and accordingiy the bulger 32 to be lowered vertically and at right angles to the planar face 36 of the crease plate to cause the median and lateral presser portions 178, 182 of the bulger to force the median and the forwardll'ateral portions of the heel seat portion of the outsole through the opening 3a, and below the planar face 36 ofihe crease plate and aiso to cause said pre'sser portions ot-th'e bulger .torbend adjacent portions of the heel seat portionof the .and18 rtherebiy forming ;-at the -flesh side of saidil alf-seat portion zlongitudinally extending creases 196, which iconverg ligh ly as h y'z xtend forwardly along the outsole- In order to fa ilitate ben ing the Qutso 2.2 .arbundth fingers 1.7.16 of the crease platefi l, a plat :i provided with oo es .128 which e nd o ward and downward f o th ,outsol supp t n fa e 10 0 t e tp anarlface -o the ease pla heo em -pla e S s-i pr vided w h tc r e pon i ea ooves 1 Wh n th 'OPQ fi Q Z a te v ewi gt e d f rme h e seat portion 20 of the attached outsole 22 of the shoe 2,4, 7

ha e rta n d tha the wo k s P oper y :pos t qnedta ;.def9rmed n the m ch n :th ea e (n s w :i int-fli depres e w thshe re ultth i het b v -me t q e p r olu o c u ch (n aw s t pped the eby c m p tuat mec an s t fi tfurthe wdight dep e ion v0 th .carr e rod 38 and a ord n y th bu ge 3, 1 n th clamp fia .19 the ul e 32 .e:1 he l sea po t on o 1t outsql unde hea y p s u a ains th f ces 15 of the r as p t a ea te to efiect movement of the knife 38 along the race 3 6 of t e ease p ate t af nn upon the h e ea po t n .Q t e iqutsql :2 th he l sea ta 40 hichqhasat-its fo ward latera ma ins. t v do fi l s 1 \As the :tab forming ;l nife 38 is moved rearward the cam ;-roll 15} pnthe slide 80 which operates the knife 38 engages a cam (not-shown) mounted upon the'lever 142"ca'using h s oulde formin ni -4 to'be mo i ar f om the opposite sides of the outsole against the action ,of the spring1 46 to form the heel-breast-receiving shoulders .46. The operator thenremoves his footfromthe-treadle and removes the work irons the machine.

The operation of the machine adapted to accommot C b n wo k is he ame as a ve e p aine the as p te. 0? the uls r 32*, and the ni 3 eing substituted respectively in the machine for the crease plate 30, the bulger 3 2, and the knife 38. .111 operating upon Louis work the T-shaped guideways 118 of the guide blocks 120 are in alinement and are disposed at right angles to the vertical median plane 72 as shown in Fig. 9 whereas in operating upon Cuban work the knifeways 118 are disposed at oblique angles to the plane 72* as shown in Fig. 9 I

During the outsole deforming operation the outerymargins 194, 194 of .thelateralpre sser portions 182, 182 of the bulgers 32, 32 and the lateral edges of the entrant portions=172, 172 of the openings 34,34 'are spaced generally lengthwise of the plate and terminate short of said breast edges and which are interposed between a median portion of the opening and lateral portions re spectively of said opening.

2. In a heel seat fitting machine, acrease plate having breast edges and having extending thicknesswise; through it and to said breast edges anopening comprisinga rear .U-shaped portion, which isdefined by a U-shaped edge, and a forward entrant portion, rear lateral margins of said entrant portion of the opening being defined by edges which extend laterally outward and rearward away from the forward ends at said U-shaped edge and then forward toward one of said breast edges.

3. In a heel seat fittingmachine, a crease plate which has breast edges and has extendingthicknesswise'through itand to said breast edges an-opening comprising a rear U-shaped portion which ,is definedby a U-shaped edge outsole around theafingers $76 as best shown in Figsnfi and is spaced a substantial distance rearward of the;

7 breast edges, and a forward entrant portion'which extends to said breast edges and across the forward end ofand laterally beyond opposite sides of said U-shaped end of said U-shaped portion of the opening from the rearlateral margins of the entrant portion of the opening. a 7 7 4. In a heel seat fitting machine, a crease plate which has breast edges and has extending thicknesswise through it and'toisaid breast edges an opening comprising a rear Ufshaped portion defined by a U-shaped edge and a forward entrant portion and which has fingers extending generally lengthwise of said opening, said fingers having inneredges which define respectively the forward portions of said U-shaped edge and having outer edges which defines inner portions of the rear lateral margins of said entrant portion.

5. In a heel seat fitting machine, a crease plate which has breast edges and has extending through it and to its breast edges an opening comprising relatively wide and narrow entrant and inner portions respectively, said crease plate being provided with a pair of fingers which define a portion of said opening and are spaced respectively from opposite sides of the entrant portion of the opening,

terminate substantial distances rearward of the breast edges of the crease plate and separate a forward end of the inner portion of the opening from rear lateral margins of the entrant portion of said opening.

6. In a heel seat fitting machine, a crease plate which has breast edges and has extending through and to its 1 breast edges, an opening comprising relatively wide and narrow entrant and inner portions respectively and which has a face bordering said opening, said crease plate comprising a pair of fingers which define a portion of said openingand are spaced respectively from opposite sides of the entrant portion of the opening, terminate substantial distances rearward of the breast edges of the crease plate and separate a forward end of the inner portion of the opening from rear lateral margins of the entrant portion of said opening, a bulger having a median presser portion and lateral presser portions which are spaced from and form with said median presser portion channels which extend generally lengthwise of the bulger, and means for moving the bulger toward the crease plate to cause said median and lateral presser portions of the bulger to force respectively median and lateral margins of the heel seat portion of an outsole through said opening' of the crease plate and beyond said face of the plate and to cooperate with said fingers of the crease plate in flexing thicknesswise adjacent portions of the outsole arranged between the portions of the outsole engaged by said median and lateral presser portions of the bulger.

7. In a heel seat fitting machine, a crease plate which ha breast edges and has extending thicknesswise through it and to its breast edges an opening and which has a planar face bordering said opening and has a pair of fingers which separate median and marginal portions of the opening from one another and terminate short of said breast edges, a bulger having spaced median and lateral presser portions forming channels between them, means for moving the bulger toward the crease plate at right angles to said planar face to cause the median and lateral presser port-ions of the bulger to force median and lateral portions of the heel seat portion of an outsole on said plate through said median and marginal portions of the opening and below said planar face of the crease plate and to cause said presser portions of the bulger to bend intermediate portions of the heel seat portion of the outsole thicknesswise around said fingers to form longitudinally extending creases in the outsole, a

tab, forming knife having a cutting edge, and means for:

- 8 moving the knife .alongsaid planar face of the crease plate to form'upon the heel seat portion of the outsole aheel seat tab having-at its forward lateral margins a pairof hold-down fillets.

i 8. In avheel seat fitting machine, a crease plate which longitudinally of the crease plate but converge slightly as they extend'for wa-rd of'the crease plate and which separate a forward end of the U-shaped portion of the opening from rear lateral margins of the entrant portion of {the opening, a bulger having a median presser portion having a length equal to the length of said opening and having lateral presser portions which are spaced from a forward portion of said median presser portion and form therewith channels which extend slightly inward as they extend forward,'means for moving the bulger relatively to the crease plate at right angles to said planar knife engaging face to' cause median and forward lateral portions of a heel seat portion of an outsole upon the crease plate to be forced through the opening and below the knife engaging face of the crease plate and to cause intermediate portions of the heel seat portion of the outsole to be wrapped around and supported by said fingers, a knife movable along said planar face of the crease plate to form on the outsole a heel seat tab having holddown wings at its forward lateral margins, and means for forming heel breast receiving shoulders on the outsole.

9. In a heel seat fitting machine, a crease plate which has breast edges and has extending through it and to said breast edges an opening and which has a planar face bordering said opening and a pair of fingers which extend generally lengthwise of the crease plate and are spaced from but are arranged in close proximity to the breast edges of the plate and are interposed between a median portion of the opening and lateral portions respectively of said opening, a bulger having a median presser portion and lateral presser portions which are spaced from opposite sides of said median presser portion and form channels therewith, means for moving the bulger at right angles to said planar face of the crease plate to force said median and lateral presser portions of the bulger against an outsole on a shoe supported by the crease plate to project a median portion and lateral portions of the outsole through the opening and beyond said planar face of the crease plate and also to cause intermediate portions of the outsole to be wrapped around said fingers of the crease plate, a knife, and means for moving the knife along said planar face of the crease plate to form' a heel seat tab.

10. In a heel seat fitting machine, a crease plate which has breast edges and has extending through it and to its breast edges an opening and which has a planar face bordering saidopen-ing and a pair of forwardly extending fingers which separate median and lateral portions respectively of the opening and terminate substantial distances from the breast edges of said opening, a bulger comprising a median presser portion having forwardly converging side walls and lateral presser portions which have forwardly converging side walls opposing and spaced from the side walls of the median presser portion and forming channels therewith, means for moving the bulger at right angles to said planar face of the crease plate to force the median and lateral presser portions of the bulger into the median and the lateral portions of the opening whereby to force the median and lateral portions of a heel seat portion of an outsole upon said crease plate through the median and lateral portions of the opening and beyond said planar-face of the crease plate and to cause the side walls of said presser portions to bend parts of the heel seat portion of the outsole around said supporting fingers, a tab forming knife having a cutting edge, and means for moving the cutting edge of the knife along said planar face to form upon the deformed heel seat portion of the outsole a heel seat tab having at its forward lateral margins a pair of holddown fillets.

11. In a heel seat fitting machine, a crease plate which has breast edges and has extending through and to its breast edges an opening comprising a rear relatively narrow U-shaped portion and a forward relatively wide entrant portion and which has outsole supporting and planar knife engaging faces bordering the opening and a pair of longitudinal forwardly converging supporting fingers which are arranged between a forward portion of said U-shaped opening and rear lateral margins of said entrant portion of the opening, a bulger having a salient median presser portion comprising a flat U-shaped face eXtending substantially the length of the opening of the crease plate and a pair of salient forward lateral presser portions comprising flat salient faces which lie substantially in a plane of said U-shaped face, are of triangular outline and are spaced from said median salient face, said median and lateral presser portions forming between them a pair of longitudinally extending forwardly converging channels, means for moving the bulger toward the crease plate at right angles to the planar knife engaging face of the crease plate to force median and forward lateral portions of a heel seat portion of an outsole through the opening and beyond said planar face of the crease plate and to bend adjacent portions of the heel seat portion of the outsole around said fingers, a knife movable along said planar face of the crease plate to form on the heel seat portion of the outsole a heel seat tab having at its forward lateral margins laterally extending holddown wings, and means for forming heel breast re- I0 ceiving shoulders on the outsole at the forward end of said tab.

12. In a heel seat fitting machine, a bulger comprising a rigid salient median presser portion having lateral margins and rigid salient lateral presser portions which are positively connected to said median presser portion and have inner lateral margins which are spaced from the lateral margins of the median presser portion and form therewith channels extending generally lengthwise of the bulger.

13. In a heel seat fitting machine, a bulger comprising a salient U-shaped presser portion having lateral margins and a breast edge and having salient lateral presser portions which are spaced from and are arranged at opposite sides of the breast edge portion of the salient U-shaped presser portion and have inner lateral margins which form with the lateral margins of said salient U-shaped presser portion channels extending generally lengthwise of the bulger.

14. In a heel seat fitting machine, a bulger comprising a median U-shaped presser portion having a breast edge and. having forward lateral margins which converge as they approach said breast edge and triangular salient lateral presser portions which are spaced from and are ar ranged at opposite sides of a forward portion of the U-shaped presser member and have inner lateral margins which form with the lateral margins of the U-shaped presser member channels extending generally lengthwise of the bulger but converging as they approach said breast edge of the bulger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,423,136 Ashley July 1, 1947 

